Roll changing device



c. .1. KLE IN ROLL CHANGING DEVICE Oct. 20 1942.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1941 Oct. 20, 1942. c, J. KLElN 2,299,631

ROLL CHANGING DEVICE Filed Nov. 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 20, 1942 ROLL CHANGING DEVICE Clarence J. Klein, Mai-land Heights. W. Va.,

assignor to National Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application November 6, 1941, Serial No. 418,086

5 Claims.

This invention relates to roll changing structures for rolling mills. More specifically. it relates to improved bearing structures for rolls for facilitating roll changing using a sleeve and counterweight.

Usually in changing rolls the practice is to engage an extension on the roll neck' with a sleeve having a counterweight either in th form of a dummy roll or the roll to be substituted. In order to support the roll in this fashion, the extension on the neck must be strong enough to support the weight of the roll. In some four high mills and in other forms of mills in which the working rolls are of small diameter such extensions are not strong enough to support the entire weight of the roll. This is due to the fact that the neck must be reduced for high bearing efliciency and the extensions must be again reduced to present bearing surface for thrust bearings. The usual practice in changing rolls of this type is to separate the rolls and insert a roll handling device between them. The rolls are lowered onto this device and the roll and device are withdrawn from the mill. This procedure is slow and requires much more labor and manipulation. More crane operations are also necessary.

The present invention eliminates the necessity for complicated roll changing devices and makes possible the use of simplified methods.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of an improved bearing chock for work rolls.

A further important object of the present invention is the provision of structure fOr simplifying roll changing procedure on rolling mills having small diameter necks.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this specification, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section through the neck of a Work roll and bearing,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the bearing chock of Figures 1 and 2, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of part of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral I indicates generally the end. of a work roll opposite the end at which power is applied. The working surface of th roll is indicated at H and the roll tapers at 12 from roll stand. The bearing chock in the vicinity this working surface to a short cylindrical surface l3. Surface l3 terminates at a shoulder [4 defining one end of a bearing surface 15. The other end of bearing surface [5 is defined by a tapered section l6 which merges into a cylindrical portion I-l terminating at an annular recess l8 which is spaced from the end of the structure by cylindrical portion l9. Of the foregoing, portions I3 to IE inclusive and part of IT constitute the roll neck and the remainder of portion I7 and portions I8 and IS an extension thereof, although these terms are really based on function'and it is otherwise immaterial where one starts'and the other ends. Mounted on the roll' neck isa bearing chock indicated generally at 2-0. Carried by the chock and engaging surface l3 are oil retainers 2|. Roller bearing structure 22 engages surface I 5 and is held against lateral movement in the direction of the roll by shoulder l4. Engaging surface I1 is thrust bearing structure 23 which makes contact with roller bearing structure 22 through annulus 24. Chock carries an extension 25 surrounding but spaced from the roll neck extension IS. A ring nut 26 is mounted in recess l8 and threadedly engaged therewith is a sleeve 21 which when in place forms part of the roll neck extension. Sleeve 21 presents an abutment 28' which engages the side of the thrust bearing structure23 farthest removed from the roll, thus preventing lateral movement of the bearing structure in a direction away from the roll. It will thus be seen that with removal of sleeve 21 the whole'bearing chock can be removed from the roll neck, but with sleeve 21 in threaded engagement with ring nut 26 the bearing chock is held against lateral movement relative to the roll end. Channels 29 are formed in the bearing chock and receive lugs mounted on the roll stand to rigidly position the roll chock in the of its extension carries a hard bronze bushing 30 surrounding sleeve 21 but slightly spaced therefrom. Although a bushing is shown, it is obvious that equivalent'structure could be formed integral with the bearing chock; Oil retainers 3| are shown in the chock extension and are equivalents of oil retainers 2| at the other end of the bearing chock. Oil conduits for carrying oil to the bearings are shown at 32. A flush plug 33 is positioned in thechock extension for admitting packing grease to the oil retainers 3!. To look sleeve 21 in place a key 34 is shown carried in a recess 35 in the roll extension. Sleeve 21 presents a plurality of slots 36, the one in the neighborhood of recess 35 receiving part of key 34. To retain key 34 in place a groove 3'! and locking ring 38 are shown. Complementary shoulders 39 and 40 are formed on the bearing chock and sleeve 21 respectively to further insure permanent positioning of the bearing chock with respect to the roll end.

In changing the roll a roll engaging sleeve not shown is slipped over the reduced portion or extension of the bearing chock in the same manner as such a roll is usually engaged with a roll and extension. On engagement of the roll changing sleeve with the chock extension by slight vertical movement of the hoist used, that end of the chock is moved very slightly relative to the roll. This results in contact between bushing 3!], or the associated part of the chock if the bushing is omitted, and sleeve 21. Since the chock already engages the roll neck through roller bearing structure 22, it will be apparent that the roll will be supported on further movement of the roll changing sleeve between two spaced points, namely the bushing 3|] at the sleeve and the roller bearing structure 22 at the roll neck. Thus the heavy chock extension and remaining chock structure actingon the roll neck extension and roll neck support the roll rather than the slender roll extension alone. By having a contact point in. the chock extension, the load is distributed between this point and the roller bearing structure, preventing crushing of the roller bearing structure.

It will be understood that although reduced portion 25 of the chock has been herein referred to as the chock extension, the inner limit of the chock extension is not strictly defined by this reduced portion. All the structure on the outer side of the thrust bearing not anecessary part of the bearing housing can be considered part of the chock extension. The position of bushing 38 brings out this point.

I claim: a a

1. A roll structure for use in a mill of the type having rolls with necks of small diameter relative to the length of the roll andin which the rolls are so arranged that they can be changed using a roll changing device incorporating a roll engaging sleeve, comprising a roll having a reduced neck, a bearing surface on the neck adjacent the roll, an extension on the neck beyond the bearing surface, a bearing chock mounted on the neck, bearing means in the chock coacting with the bearing surface, an extension on the chock positioned adjacent the neck extension, and contact means on the chockextension engaging the neck extension when the chock extension is grasped by the sleeve of the roll changing device.

2. A roll structure for use in amill of the type having rolls with necks of small diameter relative to the length of the roll and in which the rolls are so arranged that they can be changed using a roll changing device incorporating a roll engaging'sleeve, comprising a roll having a reduced neck, a bearing surface on the neck adjacent the roll, an extension on the neck beyond the bearing surface, a bearing chock mounted on the neck, bearing means in the chock coacting with the bearing surface, a thrust bearing surface on the roll neck, a thrust bearing in the chock in the neighborhood of the roll neck extension, an extension on the chock beyond the thrust bearing and adjacent the roll neck extension, and means on the chock extension engaging the neck extension when the chock extension is grasped by the sleeve of the roll changing device.

3. A roll structure for use in a mill of the type having rolls with necks of small diameter relative to the length of the roll and in which the rolls are so arranged that they can be changed using a roll changing device incorporating a roll engaging sleeve, comprising a roll having a reduced neck, a bearing surface on the neck adjacent. the roll, an extension on the neck beyond the bearing surface, a bearing chock mounted on the neck, bearing means in the chock coacting with the bearing surface, an extension on the chock positioned adjacent the neck extension, and contact means on the chock extension spaced from the upper side of the neck extension, the

spacing being such that the roll is supported between the bearing means and the contact means when the chock extension is grasped and lifted by the sleeve of the roll changing device.

4. A roll structure for use in a mill of the type having rolls with necks of small diameter relative to the length of the roll and in which the rolls are so arranged that they can be changed using a roll changing device incorporating a roll engaging sleeve, comprising a roll having a reduced neck, a bearing surface on the neck adjacent the roll, an extension on the neck beyond thebearing surface, a bearing chock mounted on the neck, bearing means in the check coacting with the bearing surface, an extension on the chock positioned adjacent the neck extension, and contact means on the chock extension spaced from the upper side of the neck extension, the spacing being such that the roll neck and extension bear on the bearing means and the contact means respectively to lift the roll when the chock extension is grasped and lifted by the sleeve of the roll changing device.

5. A roll' structure for use in a mill of the type having rolls with necks of small diameter relative to the length of the roll and in which the rolls are so arranged that they can be changed using a roll changing device incorporating a roll engaging sleeve, comprising a roll having a reduced neck, a bearing surface on the neck adjacent the roll, an extension on the neck beyond the bearing surface, a bearing chock mounted on the neck, bearing means in the chock coacting with the bearing surface, an extension on the chock positioned adjacent the neck extension, a sleeve removably mounted on the neck extension holding the bearing chock against lateral movement off the roll neck, and spaced contact means 'on the sleeve and chock extension, the spacing being such that the roll is supported by the bearing means and the contact means, when the chock extension is lifted by the sleeve of a roll changing device.

CLARENCE J. KLEIN. 

